1 לץ היין המה שכר וכל שגה בו לא יחכם | 1 It is a luxurious thing, wine, and inebriation is tumultuous. Anyone who is delighted by this will not be wise. |
2 נהם ככפיר אימת מלך מתעברו חוטא נפשו | 2 Just like the roaring of a lion, so also is the dread of a king. Whoever provokes him sins in his own soul. |
3 כבוד לאיש שבת מריב וכל אויל יתגלע | 3 Honor is for the man who separates himself from contentions. But all the foolish meddle in altercations. |
4 מחרף עצל לא יחרש ישאל בקציר ואין | 4 Because of the cold, the lazy one was not willing to plough. Therefore, in the summer, he will beg, and it will not be given to him. |
5 מים עמקים עצה בלב איש ואיש תבונה ידלנה | 5 Counsel in the heart of a man is like deep waters. But a wise man will draw it out. |
6 רב אדם יקרא איש חסדו ואיש אמונים מי ימצא | 6 Many men are called merciful. But who will find a faithful man? |
7 מתהלך בתמו צדיק אשרי בניו אחריו | 7 The just who walks in his simplicity shall leave behind him blessed sons. |
8 מלך יושב על כסא דין מזרה בעיניו כל רע | 8 The king who sits on the throne of judgment scatters all evil with his gaze. |
9 מי יאמר זכיתי לבי טהרתי מחטאתי | 9 Who is able to say: “My heart is clean. I am pure from sin?” |
10 אבן ואבן איפה ואיפה תועבת יהוה גם שניהם | 10 Diverse weights, diverse measures: both are abominable with God. |
11 גם במעלליו יתנכר נער אם זך ואם ישר פעלו | 11 A child may be understood by his interests: whether his works may be clean and upright. |
12 אזן שמעת ועין ראה יהוה עשה גם שניהם | 12 The hearing ear and the seeing eye: the Lord has made them both. |
13 אל תאהב שנה פן תורש פקח עיניך שבע לחם | 13 Do not love sleep, lest deprivation oppress you. Open your eyes and be satisfied with bread. |
14 רע רע יאמר הקונה ואזל לו אז יתהלל | 14 “It is bad, it is bad,” says every buyer; and when he has withdrawn, then he will boast. |
15 יש זהב ורב פנינים וכלי יקר שפתי דעת | 15 There is gold, and there are a multitude of jewels. But lips of knowledge are a precious vessel. |
16 לקח בגדו כי ערב זר ובעד נכרים חבלהו | 16 Take away the vestments of him who stands up to vouch for a stranger, and take a pledge from him instead of from outsiders. |
17 ערב לאיש לחם שקר ואחר ימלא פיהו חצץ | 17 The bread of lies is sweet to a man. But afterwards, his mouth will be filled with pebbles. |
18 מחשבות בעצה תכון ובתחבלות עשה מלחמה | 18 Plans are strengthened by counsels. And wars are to be handled by governments. |
19 גולה סוד הולך רכיל ולפתה שפתיו לא תתערב | 19 Do not become involved with him who reveals mysteries, and who walks deceitfully, and who enlarges his lips. |
20 מקלל אביו ואמו ידעך נרו באישון חשך | 20 Whoever curses his father and mother, his lamp will be extinguished in the midst of darkness. |
21 נחלה מבחלת בראשנה ואחריתה לא תברך | 21 When an inheritance is obtained hastily in the beginning, in the end it will be without a blessing. |
22 אל תאמר אשלמה רע קוה ליהוה וישע לך | 22 Do not say, “I will repay evil.” Wait for the Lord, and he will free you. |
23 תועבת יהוה אבן ואבן ומאזני מרמה לא טוב | 23 Diverse weights are an abomination with the Lord. A deceitful balance is not good. |
24 מיהוה מצעדי גבר ואדם מה יבין דרכו | 24 The steps of men are directed by the Lord. But who is the man able to understand his own way? |
25 מוקש אדם ילע קדש ואחר נדרים לבקר | 25 It is ruin for a man to devour what is holy, or, after making vows, to retract them. |
26 מזרה רשעים מלך חכם וישב עליהם אופן | 26 A wise king scatters the impious and bends an archway over them. |
27 נר יהוה נשמת אדם חפש כל חדרי בטן | 27 The spirit of a man is a lamp to the Lord, which investigates all the secrets of the inner self. |
28 חסד ואמת יצרו מלך וסעד בחסד כסאו | 28 Mercy and truth guard the king, and his throne is strengthened by clemency. |
29 תפארת בחורים כחם והדר זקנים שיבה | 29 The joy of youths is their strength. And the dignity of old men is their grey hairs. |
30 חברות פצע תמריק ברע ומכות חדרי בטן | 30 The bruise of a wound, as well as scourges, shall wipe away evils in the more secret places of the inner self. |